Blood of the Jabberwocky
by nineteennintytwo
Summary: First in my "Alice's Wonderland" series. Alice went back to her world...but only to tell everyone what she needed to say, before she returned into his arms...AlicexHatter.


So like everyone else, I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending of Alice In Wonderland. She should have remembered, for a start, and it could of at least had a little epilogue at the end with her returning to Underland. So here's how I think the movie should have ended. Please give it a read; I thought it through carefully, and really think that it could work.

And please review. I'd like to know what you all think.

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Blood Of The Jabberwocky

"You could stay?"

Alice turned and looked into his bright green eyes. They were so full of promise, and sent a warm feeling buzzing down her spine. She thought this through; could she stay? Could she really stay in this wondrous place she once called Wonderland? She smiled at the thought; living at Marmoreal, riding the Bandersnatch, exploring Underland, and...having tea parties with the Hatter. It was a life that she had always dreamed about. She could stay.

"What an idea," she told him. "A crazy, mad wonderful idea."

He smiled. But, Alice immediately felt guilty about saying it. Because it was then that she remembered her family back home, and she knew that they would be wondering where she was. In fact, they would be worried sick. She had been gone for at least five or so days.

"But I can't," she said sadly. "My family will be worried where I am, and there are things that I have to tell them."

The Hatter's face fell, and his eyes changed to a brownish blue. Sorrow. Alice had never been so torn in her life. She knew that she couldn't just leave her family without an explanation, but she couldn't just leave the Hatter in this state. He had lost his entire family to the Jabberwocky, and had no one else who really understood him. There was Mally and Thackery of course, but Alice knew that even though they were good friends, they didn't really understand what he was going through.

She, on the other hand, did. Alice knew what it was like to lose someone she loved. She was devastated when her father died, and deep down, she never really got over it. The Hatter, of course, must feel a lot worse, since it was his entire family that he had lost. And now, he was losing her. She couldn't bare to put him through something like that again. She...she loved him.

Alice began to weigh up the pros and cons of both choices. Her world was boring and dull and she didn't really fit in, but that was where her family were. Underland was where she felt at home, and it was where all her friends were, but if she stayed, she stayed forever. No going back, and no visits.

Finally, Alice came up with a compromise.

"Tell you what," she began, "I'll go up there, say what I need to say, and then I'll be straight back before you know it."

"You won't remember me when you go up there," the Hatter said gravely.

"Of course I will!" she told him firmly. "How could I possibly forget you?"

The same way she forgot the first time round, Alice realized. But she was determined. She had been younger then, and now, she was a grown woman. She would remember. Alice repeated it over and over in her head so as it would store itself away, ready to pop out at her once she arrived back home.

But just in case...

"Hatter, why _is_ a raven like a writing desk?" she asked him.

She had been puzzling over that very question ever since he had asked her at the tea party, and no matter how hard she tried, Alice just couldn't find the answer. He gave her a confused smile.

"I haven't the slightest idea," he replied.

Alice couldn't help but smile at his answer, for she had a feeling that he was going to say that. He then began to lean forwards, whispering something in her ear.

"Fairfarren, Alice."

Why was he saying goodbye? There was no need; she was coming right back! Alice expected him to lean back again, but he didn't. Well, he did at first, but he froze when their eyes met, just inches away from each other. Something strange passed between them for a moment, and she saw that the Hatter was leaning in again, only his eyes were closed, and it was towards her face. But he looked hesitant, and very unsure. Alice smiled. It wouldn't hurt to help him along, so she leaned the rest of the way and their lips touched.

It was her first kiss, and she wasn't disappointed. It was so soft, so gently, that it almost made Alice want to cry. The Hatter clearly didn't want to take advantage of her, and was being so careful that she bet he thought that she would break. She wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted, but they finally pulled apart, and the Hatter stood back to watch her leave. Alice knew that it was time. The longer she left it, the harder it would be.

So she lifted the cap from the vial and gulped down half of the Jabberwocky blood. Half for now, and half for later. The world around her began to fade before her eyes, the last thing to disappear being Hatter's green eyes. Then, she found herself shooting upwards towards a light ahead of her, and...

* * *

Alice climbed out of the hole. She found that roots were tangled in her hair, and her dress was full of mud, as well as torn in many places. Her mother was _not _going to be happy. What happened? Alice shook her head as she tried to remember. Had she just slipped and fallen? But then she felt something in her hand, and she looked down to see the vial, still half full with purple liquid.

Everything came back to her instantly. _That_ was what the Hatter meant by not remembering. Lucky that she still had the vial, otherwise she would have never remembered. Alice smiled down at it. Knowing what she had to do, she walked back to where the party was still being held. Which was strange. Time hadn't passed at all, and no one seemed to be missing her. But like the Hatter said, Time can be tricky.

Of course, everyone was shocked to see Alice and the state that she was in.

"Alice?" Hamish questioned, giving her a look of distaste as his eyes scanned her appearance.

"Good lord!" Lord Ascot exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"What happened to you?" her mother asked, hurrying over to her.

"I...I fell down a hole and hit my head," was all Alice could say.

In a way, it was actually quite true. She had fallen down a hole, and she probably gave her head a bang at some point in her adventure.

"You look a frightful mess," Lady Ascot sneered.

_Yeah, and you look like a snobbish rich aristo, but you don't hear me complaining. _

Alice knew what she needed to say to everyone, so hiding the vial in her hand, she turned first to Hamish.

"Hamish, I can't marry you," she told him boldly. "You're not the right man for me, I do not love you, and you have...ugh...digestion problems."

He needed the embarrassment. Might teach him a lesson. She next turned to Margaret.

"I love you more than any sister ever could, Meg, but this is my life," she told her. "I'll decide what to do with it, and marrying isn't what I want at the moment."

Lowell was standing next to her, and since Alice was blurting out the truth, he must have feared that she would blurt out what she had seen him doing. But Alice knew she couldn't do that. Sure, Lowell probably deserved it, but Margaret didn't.

"Lowell, you're lucky to have my sister as a wife," she threatened. "I know that you will provide her with a life that is made for her. The bushes have eyes."

Alice made a mental note to send McTwisp up every now and again to check on them, just in case he cheated on her again. And if he did, all of Underland would be on his case. She moved onto Aunt Imogene.

"Aunt Imogene, there is no prince coming for you," she said to her kindly. "Delusions are not a bad thing, but I still think you need to talk to someone about them."

She then stood boldly in front of Lady Ascot.

"Lady Ascot, I happen to love rabbits," she told her flatly. "Especially white ones."

And especially one named Nivens McTwisp. As a friend, of course. Alice then noticed the Chattaway sisters hovering behind her, and she couldn't help but smile at how much they resembled the Tweedles.

"I met some funny boys like you once," she commented. "I think you all would have gotten along really well."

They gave her a strange look, but Alice ignored it as she turned to Lord Ascot.

"Lord Ascot, my father was a great man, and I know that you will take good care of the Company," she told him. "He told me that he wanted to expand his trade route to Sumatra and Borneo, but in my opinion, I don't think he was looking far enough."

"Not far enough?" Lord Ascot gasped, astonished by what she had said.

"Well, I think that the Company could go all the way to China," she explained. "It's vast, the culture is rich, and we have a foothold in Hong Kong."

Lord Ascot smiled.

"If anybody else had said that to me, I would have told them that they had lost their senses," he replied. "But I've seen that before. Perhaps you would consider becoming my apprentice instead of a daughter-in-law?"

"I appreciate the offer, Lord Ascot, but I have other business elsewhere," Alice said.

"What other business, Alice?" her mother asked her with a confused expression.

Alice turned to her and let out a sigh. This goodbye was going to be the hardest of all, but she knew that if she ever wanted to be truly happy, then she had to do it.

"Mother, I've found something useful to do with my life," she explained. "And even though I may never see you again, I am determined to pursue it. But if you need to get in contact, just drop any letters for me down the rabbit hole."

Her mother looked confused at first, but then, she smiled. As if she understood. Alice smiled back, and after embracing her mother in a tight hug, she turned and walked confidently back into the maze with her head held high. But she paused when a thought occurred to her.

"And one more thing," she finished, walking back into view again.

Then, she lifted her skirts and did a small Futterwacken. Showing off that she was wearing no stockings. Hamish looked displeased. Lord Ascot smirked. Margaret and Lowell looked rather surprised. Both Lady Ascot's and Helen's mouths dropped open. And Aunt Imogene covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. With a satisfied smile, Alice dropped her skirts and disappeared into the maze once more, never to return.

Alice finally made it to the rabbit hole, where she revealed the vial in her hand, still half full with Jabberwocky blood. She gulped the rest down without hesitation.

_Take me home. Take me back to my Hatter._

The world around her began to vanish before her eyes, and Alice found herself falling past various objects once more as she descended back down to Underland. A light appeared up ahead, and before Alice could realize what it was, she landed upon soft grass in the bright sunlight. The wind was knocked out of her, but she regained herself in order to sit up.

She had landed right outside Marmoreal, the bright sun shining down upon the beautiful white castle, and all around Alice could see plants and animals celebrating the White Queen's return to the throne. It made her happy to know that she had caused this happiness. But now, she needed to find her own. Standing up and straightening out her dress, Alice began to run towards the castle, knowing that the Hatter was around somewhere. It wasn't long before she spied familiar faces; the White Queen, McTwisp, Thackery, Mallymkun, Chessur, the Tweedles and Bayard were all standing together, discussing the celebration ball they were to have. Alice would have liked to have said hello to them, but she didn't have time. She ran right past them.

"Alice?" McTwisp questioned.

"Can't talk now!" Alice called over her shoulder, disappearing round the corner.

"What's gotten into her?" Tweedledee asked his brother.

Tweedledum just shrugged, and all faces turned to the Queen. But Mirana knew who Alice was looking for, and a smile spread across her face.

Finally, after running through the white halls of Marmoreal, Alice arrived at the balcony where she and the Hatter had been talking the previous night. A smile spread across her face when she saw him standing there, gazing out over the newly blessed landscape. She quietly made her way over to him and stood directly behind him.

"If you try and kill Time, standing there, he'll surely get offended again."

The Hatter immediately spun round, and once his eyes rested upon Alice, a wide smile spread across his face. It would have given Chessur a run for his money.

"Alice."

She smiled.

A beautiful blue butterfly landed on her shoulder, and Alice smiled wider as she turned to him.

"Hello, Absolem," she greeted him.

She heard him chuckle, before he took wing and flew away into the distance. And then, taking a deep breath, Alice raced forwards into the arms of a waiting Hatter.

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I hoped you all liked it!

**Once again, please review!**


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